Project Summary

Body & Soul Dance Theatre is the longest running modern dance company in Broward County.  We have a history of innovative choreography and community outreach with emphasis on educating “the community through the art of theatre and dance”.  Originally a for-profit entity, Body & Soul went on a brief hiatus and re-emerged as a non-profit that reaffirmed its commitment to the community.

Each season, the company offers classes in the community, gives pop up performances all over the county and hires local dancers to participate in our annual production.  The annual production is a collaborative affair that continually pushes choreographers and dancers to explore different aspects of dance through storytelling and the use of different genres.

In our production of Dance through the Ages, Body & Soul will explore the evolution of dance from the birth of ballet in 1489 to what we imagine dance will look like in the future.  Along the way, we will use different dance milestones to anchor the performance in time: the Victorian court dances, the introduction of square dancing and salsa in the 1700s, the first musicals featuring dance in the late 1800s, and the modern versions of ballet and its offshoots (i.e. modern, lyrical, contemporary and jazz) as they appeared in the 1900s and the 2000s.  These pieces will be structured and staged using written accounts of the styles from archives as well as featuring original choreography.  The music will be researched to depict the era that is being featured.  The intent is to take audience members on a journey through time that sparks an awareness of dance and its evolution as a reflection of the cultures and history that developed it.

Since this production covers the better part of a millennium’s worth of dance, the only way to accomplish that feat with the appropriate level of consideration and finesse is to enlist help.  Our help comes in the form of a number of partnerships with some dynamic visual artists: Nicole Kent of Nicole Kent, Inc (photography/videography), Donna Haynes (original costume design), Beth K Amato (digital animation) and Renan Machado (graphic design).  With their assistance, we will span decades and at times, centuries, through the use of photography, animation and film.  Dancers will jump off the screen, transported from one time period to another as the world is torn apart and reassembled with words, sounds, gestures and interactions shared between dancers, audience members and visual artists.

The visual art component is a vital part of this experience.  They will bring the palatial majesty of the Victorian court and the steamy intimacy of a Latin nightclub, the lights and sounds of Broadway and the raw silence of a black box theater during performance art.  Body and Soul will provide dancers with the appropriate background and training to people the worlds created by these artists. 

It is not simply the removal of the boundaries often erected between visual and performance art that we seek to explore, but also the idea that in looking at the history of dance, we are looking at the history of self-expression. Victorian court dances established a common ground where courtiers of both sexes could show off their skill in a time where men and women were chaperoned and kept apart, less their carnal desires overcome them.  Burlesque was a provocative attempt to re-establish a sense of self and the joys of carnal knowledge to a society awakening from a decade of censorship and social standards that restricted self-expression.  Modern dance grew directly out of a need to break with the rigidity of balletic technique.  Jazz expressed the pain and excitement of a people finding their voice. 

Dance through the Ages will give a variety of genres a historical context.  This context will be created by using movement that is true to the time period being depicted since the movement and style of a technique are a direct reflection of the contexts that created them.  The authenticity of the dance will be further enhanced by original costume designs.  Animation, film and photography will also be used to create a clear sense of place and time for each piece.

What We Need & What You Get

Dance Through The Ages

Project Budget

Dance through the Ages

Project Budget

Diamond :priority seating at event, admittance to private cast party, donor recognition in program, T-shirt, and photo, and DVD copy of DTTA

$201 -more

Platinum : admittance to private cast party, donor recognition in program, free Body & Soul T-shirt, and 8x10 photo

$151 - 200

Gold : admittance to private cast party, donor recognition in program, free Body & Soul T-Shirt, and 5x7 photo 

$101 - 150

Silver : donor recognition in program, free Body & Soul T-Shirt, and 4x6 photo

$51-100

Friend : donor recognition in program, free Body & Soul T-Shirt

$26- 50

Supporter :donor recognition in program and free Body & Soul Dance Theatre Vinyl Sticker

$0 - 25

The Impact

Body & Soul Dance Theatre has been creating projects for the community since 1982. As we embark on our 33rd season we continue to need the support of our donors. 

Risks & Challenges

The biggest challenge we face is not meeting full funding. If we are unable to meet full funding we will look at what aspects can be changed and modified to not limit the quality of the production. 

Other Ways You Can Help

Want to be a part of the action? We are always looking for motivated individuals to assist us in the theater as ushers, back stage assistants, social media guru's, and bloggers. Pass along this opportunity to your friends and neighbors by sharing this project. Our deepest thanks!